[AAACE-NLA] [rsct] N. Carolina Teacher Fired For Anti-War Remarks

Tue Sep 16 10:31:10 EDT 2003

George and others,  I believe that the mission of this list includes a
wide scope of advocacy.  The plight of Elizabeth Ito could easily have
been that of an adult education teacher -- although that person would
probably have received no press coverage.

In addition, I think there is room on this list for opinions which are
strongly discouraged on the NIFL-hosted lists.  I would only warn that
our guidelines encourage a focus on policy and not the people who
deliver that policy.  Please direct your comments in that way.

David

David Collings
AAACE-NLA Moderator
david at collings.com

-----Original Message-----
From: aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of George E.
Demetrion
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:22 AM
To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: [AAACE-NLA] [rsct] N. Carolina Teacher Fired For Anti-War
Remarks

While this forwarded message is not directly related to adult literacy
advocacy, I believe it speaks to the broader context of the political
culture in which we seek to operate.  In addition, since messages like
these, apparently, are banned from the NIFL lists--even those lists that
have a strong political focus in their descriptors, my hope is that you
will allow this to be posted here so that the adult literacy sector as
an organized community can publicly discuss issues like this.

Thank you for your consideration.

George Demetrion 
Semper Fi _____________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 9:01 PM CONTACT:  Ito Defense
Coalition 336/760-8798

itodefense @hotmail.com
elizabethito @hotmail.com

North Carolina Teacher Fired for Antiwar Remarks

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - September 12 - Carolina teacher Elizabeth Ito has
appealed her firing from Forsyth Technical Community College, which came
after she made remarks critical of the conduct of the war in Iraq. Her
firing, which has been widely criticized by local anti-war activists and
free speech advocates, is seen as part of a larger crack-down on dissent
and academic freedom. "It is clear that Elizabeth didn't lose her job
because she expressed a personal opinion in the classroom," said Liz
Seymour, a member of the Ito Defense Coalition. "She lost her job
because of the opinion she expressed."

On Friday, March 28, 2003 Elizabeth, a first-year English teacher at
Forsyth Tech, spent ten minutes at the beginning of her business writing
class voicing her concerns about the war in Iraq. During this time the
US military was encountering much unanticipated resistance in its push
toward Baghdad and the previous night's news had reported that 30,000
more troops were being called up, a figure that by the next morning had
risen to 120,000. Elizabeth wrote these numbers on the board and asked
the students what they would do if the government had to start drafting.
After class had ended two students complained to Elizabeth's supervisor
Susie Keener, Chair of the Department of Humanities/Communication, that
Elizabeth had criticized the war in class.

The following Monday morning Susie Keener and John Slade, Dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences, met with Elizabeth for over two hours to
discuss the incident. At the end of the meeting Dean Slade asked
Elizabeth to promise not to raise the topic of the war again in class.
Elizabeth said that she had no intention of revisiting the subject but
that she was unwilling to bind herself to a promise. Later that week
Dean Slade presented Elizabeth with a disciplinary letter that concluded
with the statement "this matter is resolved."

Elizabeth, who had been commended for her teaching in a series of
official reviews throughout the year did not, in fact, discuss the war
again in class. Nonetheless, on May 15 she received a certified letter
at her home informing her that Forsyth Tech no longer needed her
services. In the weeks following her dismissal Elizabeth's students
spoke out on her behalf-even one of the students who originally
complained to the Forsyth Tech administration told Michelle Johnson a
reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal, that he did not think Elizabeth
should have been fired for her remarks.

Ito's firing has received widespread press attention in North Carolina
including articles in the Winston-Salem Journa, the Durham Herald-Sun.
the Greensboro News & Record, and the Carolina Peacemaker. A story was
also broadcast on the local NPR affiliate. "This is not just about me or
about my job," said Ito. "It's about something very disturbing that is
happening all over the country. I want people to understand that if it
could happen here it could happen anywhere."

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<HTML>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEP= TEMBER 12, 2003 9:01 PM CONTACT: &nbsp;Ito Defense Coalition
336/760-8798 itodefense @hotmail.com elizabethito
@hotmail.com North Carolina Teacher Fired for Antiwar Remarks
 WINSTON-SALEM, NC - September 12 - Carolina teacher
Elizabeth Ito has appealed her firing from Forsyth Technical
Community College, which came after she made remarks critical of the
conduct of the war in Iraq. Her firing, which has been widely
criticized by local anti-war activists and free speech advocates, is
seen as part of a larger crack-down on dissent and academic freedom.
"It is clear that Elizabeth didn't lose her job because she
expressed a personal opinion in the classroom," said Liz Seymour, a
member of the Ito Defense Coalition. "She lost her job because of
the opinion she expressed." On Friday, March 28, 2003
Elizabeth, a first-year English teacher at Forsyth Tech, spent ten
minutes at the beginning of her business writing class voicing her
concerns about the war in Iraq. During this time the US military was
encountering much unanticipated resistance in its push toward
Baghdad and the previous night's news had reported that 30,000 more
troops were being called up, a figure that by the next morning had
 risen to 120,000. Elizabeth wrote these numbers on the board and
asked the students what they would do if the government had to start
drafting. After class had ended two students complained to
Elizabeth's supervisor Susie Keener, Chair of the Department of
Humanities/Communication, that Elizabeth had criticized the war in
class. The following Monday morning Susie Keener and John
Slade, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, met with Elizabeth
for over two hours to discuss the incident. At the end of the
meeting Dean Slade asked Elizabeth to promise not to raise the topic
of the war again in class. Elizabeth said that she had no intention
of revisiting the subject but that she was unwilling to bind herself
to a promise. Later that week Dean Slade presented Elizabeth with a
disciplinary letter that concluded with the statement "this matter
is resolved." Elizabeth, who had been commended for her
teaching in a series of official reviews throughout the year did
not, in fact, discuss the war again in class. Nonetheless, on May 15
she received a certified letter at her home informing her that
Forsyth Tech no longer needed her services. In the weeks following
her dismissal Elizabeth's students spoke out on her behalf-even one
of the students who originally complained to the Forsyth Tech
administration told Michelle Johnson a reporter for the
Winston-Salem Journal, that he did not think Elizabeth should have
been fired for her remarks. Ito's firing has received
widespread press attention in North Carolina including articles in
the Winston-Salem Journa, the Durham Herald-Sun. the Greensboro News
&amp; Record, and the Carolina Peacemaker. A story w= as also
broadcast on the local NPR affiliate. "This is not just about me or
 about my job," said Ito. "It's about something very disturbing that
is happening all over the country. I want people to understand that
if it could happen here it could happen anywhere." 
 </HTML>

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